Bonnet and sealing structure for valves



.m wwy Jan. 12, 1954 D. M GREGOR 2,665,874

BONNET AND SEALING STRUCTURE FOR VALVES Filed Nov. 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR DAvu o MACG'REGOR Jan. 12, 1954 D MacGREGQR 2,665,874

BONNET AND SEALING STRUCTURE FOR VALVES Filed Nov. 3, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR DAwb .MACGREG-OR ATTORNE Y5 by a gland 3'! to insure against leakage of fluid around the valve stem particularly when the valve stem is not in its fully raised position. The gland 31 is urged against packing rings 39 by a gland flange 38 which is adjustably secured to the upper portion of the bonnet M by gland studs 39 and gland bolt nuts 40.

The structure thus far generally described forms no part of the present invention but isclaimed and more completely described in my copendine application for Valve Construction Serial No. 662,341, filed April 15, 1946.

As previously stated, the present invention re lates to improvements in the construction of the bonnet and valve body sealing means and the cooperation of the closure elements with the sealing means to provide a seal of superior effectiveness.

Referring now in detail to the novel bonnet and sealing construction, a reduced section 45 of the bonnet joins a flange 46 and in an inclined shoulder 41. A relatively soft pressure seal gasket 48 of soft iron, asbestos, or the like depending upon the service requirements of the valve, having a lower inclined surface 49, is positioned around section is above shoulder 41. The lower surface 49 of the gasket is inclined at a more acute angle with the wall of extension l3 than the shoulder 4'! so that under low pressure conditions the surface 49 and the shoulder 4! are substantially in line contact.

A hard steel spacer ring'5fl is held against the upper end of gasket 48 by a segmental retainer '5! which is received in an annular recess 5|a in extension !3 of the valve body. The recess 51a is of greater width than the retainer 5i to facilitate disassembly of the retainer.

An annular bonnet retainer ring 52 is positioned on a shoulder 53 formed adjacent the upper edge of extension [3 and is adjustably secured to bonnet l4 by retainer studs 54 which extend freely through ring 52 and by nuts 55. Since ring 52 is restrained against downward movement and bonnet I4 is free to move upwardly against gasket 48, the gasket may be sub-- jected to any desired preload pressure by adjustment of nuts 55. Because of the differential angle between the shoulder and the surface 49 any appreciable preload will wedge the gasket against the wall of the valve body to form a positive seal therewith. V

A tubular valve disk or closure element 62 is guided for reciprocation in extension l3'of the valve body on lands 53 and 84, land 64 having piston rings 65 received therein. When the disk is placed in the fully lowered position either by the valve stem 15 or by a reverse flow of fluid the valve body. A restricted passage 68 is pro-' vided in the lower end of the disk to drain con- To facilitate removal of the disk, lugs densate. 69, which may be engaged by hooks or similar means, are welded to the interior of the disk.

When the stem I5 is fully raised and pressure is supplied at inlet 1 I the disk is lifted oif its seat and its upper end is urged against projections Hi extending downwardly from bonnet Id by the:

dynamic force of the fluid flowing through the valve and impinging on the lower surface of the valve disk. This upward force isaugmented by a static pressure differential established across the bottom wall of disk 62 by an equalizer tube H which is substantially larger than passage 68, which connects the space above the disk with an area of relatively low pressure adjacent the valve outlet. The cumulative effect of these forces is sufficient to drive the disk against the bonnet and urge the bonnet and retainer rings upwardly as a unit compressing the sealing gasket as against the wall l3. Since the forces acting on the gasket 48 through the disk 62 are proportional to the pressure and velocity of the gases flowing through the valve, the effectiveness of the sealing structure will be increased in proportion to these factors. This novel arrangement thus provides a'seal which is automatically adjusted in response to variations in the characteristics of fluid to be sealed. It is to be noted that the projections i9 prevent closure of the tube H by the valve disk to assure the maintenance of the differential pressure across the valve in its fully opened position. y

Figure 5 illustrates a sealing structure modified for use in a check valve of the type in which the valve is controlled entirely by the direction of flow of fluid through it.

A globe type valve body is provided with an inlet 8!, a coaxial outlet 82, and a horizontal stellited valve seat 83. The body has a vertical extension 84 in which a valve disk or closure element 85, similar to disk 82 previously described, is reciprocably received. Disk 85 is provided with a stellited seating surface 96 which engages the seat 83 when the valve is in its lowermost position.

A pressure seal cover 81 is positioned ata point adjacent the upper end of the extension 8% with an enlarged land 88 in frictional engagement with the inner wall of the extension. A reduced section 88a of the cover is joined with the land 89 by means of an inclined shoulder 89. A pressure seal gasket 94, having a lower surface at an acute angle with shoulder 89, is positioned above shoulder 89 and held in place by means of a spacer ring and a segmental gasket retainer- 96, the'latter being held in a slot 9'? in extension 84. The gasket ring 94, spacer ring 95, and retainer 9B are preferably identical to the correspending-elements 48, 50, and 5!, respectively,' previously described and are telescoped successively around section 8811 of the cover 81.

An annular cover retainer 98, seated on shoul der 99 spaced from the upper end of extension 84, is adjustablysecured to pressure seal cover 81 as by studs Hill which pass freely therethroughand nuts IM. A cover retainer plate H32 closes the upper end of the extension 84 and is securedto retainer 98 as by screws I03. The relatively soft gasket 94 may be wedged against the interior wall of extension 84 by adjustment of nuts [ill in the manner previously described in connectionwith the structure of Figure 1.

When the fluid pressure of the inlet 8| exceed the pressure of the outlet 82 the disk will be lifted-'- off its seat and in its fully opened position will be'urged against projections I04 extending from cover 81,- by the dynamic action of the fluid which is augmented by the static pressure differ' ential established across the bottom wall of the disk by an equalizer tube I06, as previously described. As in the modification of Figure 1; the

disk 85 thus adjustably compresses the gasket 94' dressers to any desired} degree of inseam-e and irls thereafter automatieally adl'usted inaccordance valvegdi'slc reciproeabiy reeeivedinsaid extension,

witn-the-statid and dynamic conditions-prevailing 7 in the fluid withintheyalve;

Theinvention may-be embodiedimother-specific forms without? departing from the-spirit or essential characteristics thereof. *The preseiit embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respectsas illustrative and not.restrictiv e,,.the scope of the invention being indicatedby the appended cla-ims rather: than-by the: foregoing description, and all changes-which come within the meaningand range of equivalency of therciaims are e reintendeg to be; embraced therein.

-What isclaimed and desired-tube securernby United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a valve having a main body portion for the passage of fluid and a hollow extension above said main body portion for receiving a valve stem, said extension having an annular groove in its inner surface and an upwardly facing shoulder above said groove; an annular bonnet having an internal surface for guiding said stem and an external surface slidingly engaging said extension, said external surface terminating in an annular inclined shoulder, an annular sealing gasket telescoped around said bonnet above said inclined shoulder having a sloping surface inclined with respect to said inclined shoulder, the angle between said sloping surface and said extension being smaller than the angle between said inclined shoulder and said extension, a fixed segmental retainer ring for said gasket telescoped around said bonnet and extending into said groove in said extension, a second retainer ring telescoped around said bonnet and adapted to seat on said upwardly facing shoulder in spaced relation with said fixed retainer ring, and means connecting said second retainer ring and said bonnet for moving said bonnet upwardly to urge said inclined shoulder into forced engagement with said sloping surface whereby said gasket is forced into sealing engagement with said extension over an area of substantial width, said bonnet being upwardly movable independently of said fixed retainer ring under the influence of the pressure of said fiuid to increase the area of sealing engagement between the gasket and the extension.

2. In a valve having a main body portion for the passage of fluid and a hollow extension above said main body portion for receiving a valve stem, an annular bonnet having an internal sur- 1 face for guiding said stem and an external surface slidingly engaging said extension, said external surface terminating in an annular inclined shoulder, an annular sealing gasket telescoped around said bonnet above said shoulder, a sloping surface on said gasket inclined with respect to said shoulder, the angle between said sloping surface and said extension being smaller than the angle between said inclined shoulder and said extension, a fixed segmental retainer ring for said gasket telescoped around said bonnet and extending into an annular recess in said extension, a second retainer ring telescoped around said bonnet in spaced relation with said fixed retainer ring, means on said hollow extension engaging said second retainer ring to prevent downward movement thereof, means connecting said second retainer ring and said bonnet for moving said bonnet upwardly to urge said shoulder into forced engagement with said sloping surface whereby said gasket is forced into engagement with said :andnmeans against sai mined sealing force.

apressure differential esaid" disk '=upwa;rdly bo'nnet augment said predeteri':afi'nheralveiaccording toclam; 2 wherein said last mefitiondhmeans coii'iprises a conduit connecting theiuppen sumaeepnsaid disk' to: a low pressurearegiomonsaid-velveteen- 4. 1!! acvane having ar-rnain. bodyportion -for the nassageiofi flaidand a hollow extension above said :main 'ibo'dy port 0 for: receiving a valve stem. said extension ehaving: an -annular-"gro'ove inri-tsi iinner surraee and =an apwar'dly facing shoulder above said groove; an annular bonnet having an internal surface for guiding said stem and an external surface for slidingly engaging said extension, said external surface terminating in an annular inclined shoulder, an annular sealing gasket telescoped around said bonnet above said inclined shoulder, a sloping surface on said gasket inclined with respect to said inclined shoulder, the angle between said sloping surface and said extension being smaller than the angle between said inclined shoulder and said extension, a fixed segmental retainer ring for said gasket telescoped around said bonnet and extending into said groove in said extension, a second retainer ring telescoped around a reduced portion of said bonnet and adapted to be seated on said upwardly facing shoulder above said first retainer ring, and means connected to said bonnet passing freely upwardly through said second retainer ring for moving said bonnet upwardly to urge said inclined shoulder into forced engagement with said sloping surface whereby said gasket is forced into sealing engagement with the inner surface of said extension over an area of substantial width, said bonnet being freely upwardly movable independently of said fixed retainer ring under the influence of the pressure of said fluid within said body to increase the area of sealing engagement between said gasket and said inner surface of said extension.

5. In a valve having a main body portion for the passage of fluid and a hollow extension above said main body portion for receiving a valve stem and valve disk, an axially movable bonnet surrounding a portion of said stem and having an external surface slidingly engaging said extension, said external surface terminating in an annular inclined shoulder, an annular sealing gasket telescoped around said bonnet above said shoulder having a sloping surface inclined with respect to said shoulder, a fixed segmental retainer ring for said gasket telescoped around said bonnet and extending into an annular recess in the inner surface of said extension, separate retaining means for said bonnet and engaging said hollow extension to prevent downward movement thereof whereby to force said shoulder onto said sloping surface with a predetermined initial pressure while permitting free upward movement of said bonnet, and means independent of said stem operable when the valve is in its fully opened position for urging said disk upwardly against the lower surface of said bonnet to augment said initial sealing pressure.

6. In a valve having a main body portion for the passage of fiuid and a; hollow extension above said main body portion open at its upper end; a movable pressure seal cover mounted in said extension and having an external surface in engagement therewith, said surface terminating at its upper endin an annular inclined shoulder; an annular sealing gasket telescoped around said cover above said shoulder having a lower sloping surface inclined. with respect to said shoulder; the angle between said sloping surface and said hollow extension being smaller than the angle between said inclined shoulder andrsaid extension; an annular recess in said extension having its upper edge spaced below said upper end of said extension; a segmental retainerrring for said gasket mounted in said recess and telescoped around said cover; an upwardly facing annular shoulder in said extension intermediate said recess and the upper end of said extension; a cover retainer seated on said upwardly facing shoulder References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,677,126 Dennis July 17, 1928 2,305,590 Marburg Dec. 22, 1942 2,426,392 Fennema Aug. 26, 1947 

